| Episode Narrative |
Bitter cold arctic air poured into Southeast Wisconsin as a massive high pressure pushed southeast into the Midwest. This was some of the coldest air experienced in the past 10 to 15 years. Numerous schools closed down on January 15th and 16th, and many civic clubs activities were cancelled. Maximum air temperatures on January 14th ranged from +6 in Whitewater (Walworth Co.) to +13 in West Allis (Milwaukee Co.). Minimum air temperatures Thursday morning January 15th ranged from -11 at the airports in Watertown (Jefferson Co.) and Waukesha (Waukesha Co.) to -21 in Ft. Atkinson (Jefferson County). Maximum air temperatures on Thursday, January 15th ranged from -6 at NWS Forecast office southeast of Sullivan (Jefferson Co.) to +1 in the locations of Germantown (Washington Co.), West Allis (Milwaukee Co.), and Mt. Mary College (Milwaukee Co.). Minimum air temperatures during the pre-dawn hours of Friday, January 16th ranged from -12 in West Allis (Milwaukee Co.) to -24 in Watertown (Jefferson Co.) and Oconomowoc (Waukesha Co.). The lowest wind chill values during this arctic blast occurred during the pre-dawn hours of Friday, January 16th, and ranged within a couple points either side of -30. However, the wind chill values dropped consistently below -20 during the evening hours of January 14th. During this arctic blast, the winds were generally west to southwest at 4 to 13 knots (5 to 15 mph), but the wind occasionally become calm overnight in some river valleys. No new record low temperatures were established. However, Milwaukee's minimum temperature of -12 on January 16th was the 6th coldest daily low temperature on record since 1995. Milwaukee's maximum temperature of zero on January 15th was the 4th coldest daily maximum on record since 1995. |
